Sorting and service table for ironing machines



May 2, 1933. R. E. SMITH 1,906,825

SORTTNG AND SERVICE TABLE FOR IRONING MACHINES Filed May 2, 1932 INVENTOR G. I 4S5. BY 2; M

ATTORNEY Patented May 2, i933 RAYMOND E.

means @FFEE SMITH, OF IEPEWAUKEE, WISCONSIN SQRTIZNG AND SERVICE TABLE FOR IRONING MACHINES Application filed May 2, 1982.

My invention relates to an improved construction of table for use with ironing machines, for example in laundries, by which the fabrics to be ironed may be sorted and arranged for ironing on one part of the table While fabrics of another lot previously sorted and arranged on another part of the table for ironing, are being fed to the ironing machine, the table preferably being mounted on a pivotal support so that it may be rotated to move the sorted and arranged fabrics of each lot to a position conveniently accessible to the operators feeding the ironing machine.

My invention is applicable particularly to flat-work ironing machines in commercial laundries and in connection with such machines, it has heretofore been the practice, as far as I am aware, to employ long poles for sorting the fabrics to be ironed, and racks for said poles, one lot of fabrics being preferably sorted and arranged for ironing on each pole as it is supported on the racks, and then the poles are moved manually, one after another from the racks supporting them, to suitable supports on or adjacent to the ironing machine, and the fabrics are fed to the ironing machine from the pole so placed in feeding position adjacent the ironing machine. Ironing machines of the kind. referred to are usually large, it being not unusual for the machine to have a width of ironing surface of from eight to ten feet or more, and the poles referred to must be correspondingly long. As a result, the poles and the sorted fabrics carried by them are heavy and considerable effort is required to move them from the racks to the ironing machine. Furthermore, the crew of operators, required for this work has heretofore been four or five operators for each ironing machine, and the floor space required has been considerable on account of the racks for the poles being necessarily separated from the ironing machine a sufficient distance to permit the feeders to stand between the ironing machine and the poles on. the racks.

The operators engaged in this work are usually girls and the work of manually transfer ring the poles from the racks to the ironing machine is laborious for them.

By my invention It replace the poles and Serial No. 608,655.

racks by a table mounted adjacent the ironing machine, so that fabrics may conveniently be fed from it to the ironing machine. The table is of suflicient size so that one-half of it will conveniently accommodate each lot of fabrics, and the table is preferably pivotally supported, so that it may be turned to alternately place its end portions adjacent the ironing machine to facilitate feeding the fabrics on the end portion adjacent the iron- Eng machine, to the iron'ng machine, a transverse partition being preferably employed on the table to separate the lots of fabrics on the table from each other. It will be understood that much of the work done by ironing machines of the kind referred to, is in connection with so-oalled flat work laundering, in which case an entire lot of the fabrics may consist of and be limited to a single family washing including flat work that is to be ironed by the laundry, whether the wearing apparel of the lot is to be ironed by the laundry or not. In connection with this work, although each article is usually N marked distinctively, it is a convenience to keep all of the articles of any one lot together as far as possible, which accounts for the sorting and ironing of the fabrics in lots.

By my invention, the fabrics that are washed and ready for ironing are brought to the sol sing and service table in a truck, or otherwise, each lot being usually by itself in a bag or otherwise, including wearing apparel and fiat work. The sorting operator called the shaker, who is in charge of the opera- 8 tion of the ironing machine, stands at the end of the table remote from the ironing machine and places one lot of the fabrics on tl e end of the table adjacent to her, and separates the wearing apparel from the flat 0 work, putting the wearin apparel in a re ceptacle for further work by the laundry or ready to be delivered to the customer according to the class of work being done, and she then sor s and arranges the flat work on the end of the table adjacent to her, in convenient position and in readiness to be fed to the ironing machine, when the table is turned half way around. l/Vhile the shaker is arranging a lot of fabrics as de- 100 scribed, a previous and similarly arranged lot of fabrics on the end of the table adjacent to the ironing machine, is being fed to the ironing machine by the feeding operators, and in this manner the preparing and feeding of the flat work to the ironing machine is much more effectively accomplished and in a shorter time than with the pre 'ious system employing poles as referred to, and furthermore, fewer girls are required to handle the work for any one ironing machine than where the poles referred to are used. My invention not only results in more efficiently utilizing the capacity of the ironing machine with fewer operators, but in addition, the floor space required for the table and ironing machine is much less than that required for the ironing machine and the sorting poles and racks required by the practice heretofore used. I 7

My invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment thereof, in which Fig.1 illustrates my improved sorting and service table in plan view,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal. sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 2, to an enlarged scale, taken along the line 38 in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan View illustrating the relation of my improved table to an ironing machine, and the manner of using the table.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, my improved sorting and service table consists of a top member from which side walls 11, 11 and end walls 12. 12 extend upwardly a sulficient distance to hold the fabrics on the table top. A transverse partition 13 extends from the table top 10 upwardly and sufficiently above the side walls 11, 11, to keep the fabrics on. one end of the table from becoming mixed with the fabrics on the other end thereof.-

The top 10 is supported by a central, vertical column 1a rigidly secured to the top in any suitable manner, for example by a horizontally extending flange member 1460 extending from the upper end of the column, and from the lower end of the column, a cylindrical journal member 15 extends vertically and downwardly into a corresponding vertical bore in a pedestal 16 provided at its lower end with a flange 17 for attachment to a floor in any desired manner, to the end that the table may have stable support. The table top 10 is preferably connected with the column 14 by braces 18 to maintain the table top in horizontal position.

To hold the table top from movement while fabrics are being fed to the ironing machine from one of its ends, and While another lot of fabrics is being prepared for feeding on the other of its ends, the upper end of the pedestal 16 is provided with an outwardly extending horizontal flange 19 provided with a notch 20 for engagement by one or the other of the locking bars 21 and 22, depending upon the particular position of the table top at any time. The bars 21 and 22 are pivotally mounted at their upper ends on part of the table top structure, for example on opposite ones of the braces 18, 18, and at their lower ends the bars 21 and 22 are pivotally connected with links 23 and 24 pivotally connected at their other ends with operating levers 25 and 26, which levers in turn are pivotally connected at their upper ends with the table top as indicated. In this manner, the releasing of the table top for rotation is under the control of the shaker, and when the table top is rotated to bring a fresh lot of fabrics into position to be fed to the ironing machine, the to) is rotated until one of the bars 21 and 22, drops into the notch 20.

In constructing the table top, I find it desirable to make it of sheet metal to facilitate keeping it clean, and this I find is further simplified by providing the sheet metal with perforations 10 0, 101) which may cover the entire surface of the table top if desired. The table top is preferably somewhat longer than it is wide, for example, it may be six feet wide and six and one-half or seven feet long, although I do not limit myself to these particular dimensions, and to permit the feeding operators to conveniently reach the fabrics on the end of the table top adjacent to the ironing machine. and to facilitate arranging the fabrics on the other end of the table top, I find it advantageous to cut away the corners of the table top as shown at 12a, 12a so that the operators may conveniently reach any part of the table top on which they are working. While I find it convenient to have the cut away corner portions 12a, 12a circular as indicated, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this particular conformation, as other forms of cut away corner portions may be employed as desired.

Where the table top 10 is formed of sheet metal as referred to, it may conveniently be supported from the flange member late, by supporting strips 100, 100 resting at their inner ends on the flange member 14a and secured to the braces 18.

From the above it will appear that my improved table provides a substantial area of top to receive each lot of fabrics, and I find it effective to arrange different kinds of flat work systematically on the table top, each kind in a location assigned to it, since the feeding of the different kinds of flat work is much facilitated by so doing, and the feeding operators can depend upon finding each kind of flat work at a particular place on the table top, whether the pieces be large pieces such as blankets or small pieces such as towels.

As shown in Fig. 4, I illustrate an ironing machine diagrammatically at 30, having feeding bands or ribbons 31 movable in the directions indicated by the arrows when the ironing machine is in operation. The location of the table top 10 relatively to the feeding bands 31 is as illustrated, and the feeding operators positions are indicated diagrammatically at 32, 32. The head operator or shakers position is indicated diagrammatically at 83, which is adjacent the end of the table top 10 remote from the ironing machine ano conveniently accessible to a truck 34, or other receptacle containing the lots of fabrics which are ready for ironing. A second truck or receptacle 35 is illustrated adjacent the operators position 33, to receive the fabrics of the several lots, which are not to be fed through the ironing machine 30, for example wearing apparel. It will be noted that the table top 10 is preferably located nearer one end of the ironing machine than the other, and this permits the head operator to assist in the feeding, if for any reason a particular lot of flat work is sufficiently greater than the next lot, so that the second lot is prepared and ready for feeding before the preceding lot has been fed from the table top.

While I have shown my invention in the particular embodiment above described, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this exact construction as I may employ equivalents known to the at the time of the filing of this application without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, and a partition wall extending upwardly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top, said table top having perforations therethrough for cleaning purposes and being cut away at its corners to facilitate reaching to all parts of said table top.

2. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from table top, and a partition wall extending upwardly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said.

table top, said table top having perforations therethrough for cleaning purposes.

3. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, and a partition wall extending u} wardly from said tabletop midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top.

4. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal'and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, and a partition wall extending upwardly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top, said table top being of perforated sheet metal for cleaning purposes.

5. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, a partition wall extending upwardly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top, said table top having perforations therethrough for cleaning purposes and being cut away at its corners to facilitate reachin to all parts of said table top, and holding devices having released and engaged positions holding said table top against rotary movement for their engaged position and freeing said table top for rotary movement for their released position.

6. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, a partition wall extendin upward ly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top, said table top having perforations therethrough for cleaning purposes, and holding devices having released and engaged positions holding said table top against rotary movement for their engaged position and freeing said table top for rotary movement for their released position.

7. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, a partition wall extending upwardly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top, and holding devices having released and engaged positions holding said table top against rotary movement for their engaged position and'freeing said table top for rotary movement for their released position.

8. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, a partition wall extending upwardly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top, said table top having perforations therethrough for cleaning purposes, and a latch having released and engaged positions respectively freeing said table top for and restraining the same against rotary move ment.

9. A service table for ironing machines comprising the combination of a pedestal, a table top, a central support for said table top, said pedestal and said support having connection for rotation of said support and said table top about a vertical axis, end and side walls extending upwardly from said table top, a partition wall extending upwardly from said table top midway between the ends thereof and from side to side of said table top, and a latch having released and engaged positions respectively freeing said table top for and restraining the same against rotary movement.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 21st day of April, A. D. 1932.

RAYMOND E. SMITH. 

